Hodgson looks to the Welbeck generation for brighter future

England manager must change his approach and become more adventurous if he is not to repeat past failures

Ashley Young, left, missed from the spot as England lost in the shootout (Laurence Griffiths)

SO, in the end, another England manager departs a tournament looking to the
future, bemoaning injuries, praising the fans. And, of course, cursing
penalties.

Roy Hodgson now stands where Terry Venables did in 1996, where Sir Bobby
Robson did in 1990, Glenn Hoddle in 1998 and Sven-Göran Eriksson in 2004 and
2006. Whether Hodgson can be different to his predecessors and move on from "what-might-have-beens"
to actual achievement will depend on the evolution of the Danny Welbeck
generation – but also his own willingness to let his tried and tested
gameplan of 30 years develop.

The most telling statement in the post-match press conference came not from
Hodgson but Italy’s Cesare Prandelli. It is Prandelli who, after decades of
safety-first from the Italians, has unfettered his national team. “We
decided we were going to take on our opponents and take the game to them,”
he said. “That is the way football